Emac played at our local leagues for about a month or so at the end of this summer. It's kind of a toss-up. On one hand, we're basically donating money to the guy every week. It also skewed the overall point standings for the guys who were playing for some end-of-season cash. But, on the other hand, he's just a great guy and it was a lot of fun having him around to play some rounds with. Unless you're an Open player yourself, you'd normally never get the chance to throw a round with a top pro. We play random doubles, so a rec-level player got to partner with him each week, which is cool.

Overall, yes, leagues are played for money. A couple league players really take that aspect seriously. But mostly, the money is just a way to make it more fun and competitive. I never have a problem donating $10 a week to play with 20 or 30 people I share a passion with. So, if a pro wants to show up and hang out, it's all the more fun for the evening.